Many vehicles are equipped with systems that allow customers to customize various aspects their vehicles. For example, these systems include systems that allows the user to configure a key to restrict vehicle functionality, e.g., to a maximum vehicle speed, audio volume, etc. Other systems include interactive display screen(s) that allows the user to load a customized picture to be used as the background. Other examples include vehicles equipped with an infotainment system that allows the user to pair personal electronic devices to the vehicle. Data may be copied from the personal electronic devices to the vehicle such as a personal contact list, call history, and digital music. In other examples, a navigation system allows the user to store specific destinations or points of interest, and record a history of the vehicles location on a map. Still other examples include vehicle systems that allow the user to store and recall vehicle settings such as seat and mirror position, or default languages used by vehicle systems.
Although these systems enhance the retail customer's driving experience, they present a unique problem for fleet operators such as rental car companies. The configurable systems for certain vehicles provides convenience to rental customers, for example, but in some cases a rental customer may load undesirable content on the vehicle. Accordingly, future customers might find the vehicle settings inconvenient or in some cases, offensive. For example, if the memory seat position were programmed closest to the steering wheel, future rental customers may be inconvenienced when getting into the vehicle. Additionally, the previous customer might have programmed one of the keys to restrict the vehicle's maximum speed or audio volume, or loaded offensive material such as provocative music or pictures.
Although these systems typically may allow customers to adjust or reset certain settings, it is not necessarily convenient for a rental company to reset vehicle settings due to the nature of the rental car business. Moreover, it is not ideal to implement a commonly available means to defeat customizable vehicle systems that could be unintentionally used to defeat the system.
Accordingly, there is a need for a vehicle and/or a method that would facilitate fleet operators such as rental companies to quickly and easily restore the vehicle to original factory settings, e.g., when a rental customer returns the vehicle.